Agra: 24 hrs later 2-yr-old still stuck in borewell

Just in: Two-and-a-half-year-old Sonu, who fell into a 150-foot-deep borewell near here while playing, has been trapped inside for the past 24 hours. Rescue operations continued through Thursday, Oct 9 night and Friday, Oct 10 morning without any concrete results.

Sonu has so far not responded to calls or shown any sign of activity. Soldiers of the Indian Army, led by Captain Rajesh and a team of doctors along with district officials are continuing the rescue operation in Leharkapura village near Agra. The administration has provided excavators, flood lights and a large posse of policemen. Anil Kumar said that the rescue operation will be over by Friday, Oct 10 evening.5:22 PM 10/10/2008

Agra, Oct 10: Sonu a two-and-a-half-year-old boy fell into a 150-foot borewell in Shamshabad district of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, Oct 9, four months after Vandana, a two-year-old girl was rescued by the Army from similar borewell in the same district following a marathon 26-hour mission.

Police claimed Sonu, who fell into the borewell while playing with other kids around 10 am, is stuck somewhere in the middle of the open well of Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam at Leharkapura village, 30 km from Agra. Army personnel have taken over the rescue operation. A parallel pit is being dug and oxygen being supplied through a pipeline to keep the boy alive. A team of medical professionals are also camping at the site.

Sources said the Army personnel are using the same techniques which saved Vandana. A large crowd has gathered at the site. A posse of TV cameramen and journalists are also camping at the site.

The borewell is just one foot in diameter and it's impossible for a man to go down into it. Reports say that the boy's voice could not be heard after about 90 minutes of his fall, the time when he was crying. Sonu has also not been responding to his mother who has been calling out for him.

However, drawing attention to a similar occurence of Prince who was rescued in 2006, close to two days after falling into a borewell in Kurukshetra, the official are not leaving any stone unturned in their rescue mission.10:24 AM 10/10/2008